Watch or other strap buckle guard



May 22, 1951 A. LOMBARDO WATCH OR OTHER STRAP BUCKLE GUARD 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed June 23, 1948 JNVENTOR. ANTHEINY LIJMBARBU A. LOMBARDO 2,554,369

WATCH OR OTHER STRAP BUCKLE GUARD May 22, 1951 Filed June 25, 1948 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 40 i? W W E INVETNTORD 42 ANTHONY LUMBARDU Patented May 22, 1951 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Claims.

This invention relates to new and useful improvements in buckle-equipped strap structures as used in connection with wrist watch carriers, belts of various kinds, and in any other appropriate relation; all of which structures will be low be referred to as girthing bands.

Such bands comprise two elongate elements, as of leather or the like, one for carrying the relatively movable buckle parts, the latter being a swinging yoke, or hasp as it will below be called, and a swinging tongue, which below will be called the bill. That element which carries said buckle parts will below be called the main portion of the band, and the other element will be called the tongue portion.

As is well known in such bands, the tongue portion has a series of holes arranged longitudinally thereof, these so placed that the buckle bill may be inserted through any selected one thereof, in order accordingly to shorten or lengthen the band. Particularly when provided for carrying wrist watches and like uses, both band portions are made of expensive leathers such as pigskin or the like, of a nature such that after continued use of the band a long employed one of said holes results in an adjacent part of the tongue portion of the band becoming misshapen and discolored from the clamping action thereagainst of the bow portion of the hasp.

An object of the invention is to provide a simple and practicable device for easy application to the tongue portion of the band, and which device is readily adjustable along the length of said tongue portion and when thus adjusted remains in the desired position, this last for interposing a shield portion between the bOW of the hasp and the outer face of said tongue portion, when the two band portions are buckled together.

Another object is to provide a novel and valuable decorative addition to a girthing band, at the location of the exposed buckle parts when the two band portions are coupled, for adding to the aesthetic appearance of the outer face of the band at said location.

For further comprehension of the invention, and of the objects and advantages thereof, reference will be had to the following description and accompanying drawings, and to the appended claims in which the various novel features of the invention are more particularly set forth.

In the accompanying drawings forming a maetrial part of this disclosure:

Fig. 1 is a front elevation of a band, as one for carrying a wrist watch; said watch being omitted from the drawing, but the band, having added thereto an embodiment of the invention as now favored, being shown with its main portion and its tongue portion coupled.

Fig. 2 is an edge elevation, looking down on the parts of Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is a vertical section, taken on the line 33 of Fi 2.

Fig. 4 is a top plan view of said device.

Fig. 5 is a bottom plan view thereof.

Fig. 6 is a section, taken on the line 6-6 of Fig. 4.

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of said device.

Fig. 8 is a view similar to Fig. 1, but showing a modified form of the device of the invention.

Fig. 9 ShOWs the rear side of the tongue, and so similarly showing said device.

Fig. 10 is a view similar to Fig. 9, but showing a hingedly carried element of said device swung through from its position in Fig. 9.

Fig. 11 is also a view similar to Fig. 1, but shoW ing a further'modified form of the device of the invention.

Fig. 12 is a top plan view of said device.

Fig. 13 is a section, taken on the line |3l3 of Fig. 12.

Fig. 14 is a bottom plan view of said device.

Referring to the drawings more in detail, and first to Figs 1-7, the main portion 29 of the band, and the tongue portion 21 thereof, are both shown as of a conventional construction. Thus the main portion 263 is illustrated as including a leather strip twice folded on itself, at 22 and 22 plus an added backing leather strip 23 such three plies being stitched together as indicated at 24 and 24 the stitching 24 for providing a transverse tunnel between the stitching 24 and the fold 22 for receiving one of the two familiar mounting parts on a wrist watch.

At the opposite end of the main band portion 20 is stitchin similar to the stitching 24 to provide there a transverse tunnel within which is housed the pivot pin 25 for the hasp 2'6 of the buckle.

Also as is conventional, suitably secured between the plies of the main band portion 20 are the end portions of a pair of loops 2'! through which the tongue portion 2! is passed when the two band portions have been buckled together.

The tongue portion 2! of the band is shown as also including three plies of leather, which latter comprise a strip folded on itself at 28, and a backing strip 29, these three plies stitched together as indicated at 30 and 30 which stitching 30 is for providing a transverse tunnel, as is also customary in the art of band making, for receiving a complementary mounting part on the wrist watch.

As is further standard practice in the band making art, the tunnel of the main band portion 20 which is provided adjacent to the fold 22 for housing the pivot pin 25, and at a point intermediate the ends of said tunnel, is provided with a hole at a location and of a size to permit swinging of the bill 31 of the buckle relative to the hasp 26 for insertion of said bill through a selected one of the aforesaid line of holes in the tongue portion 2|; such holes shown in Figs. 1 and 3, and the bill 3| being pivotally mounted on the pin 25, as by an eye formed on the inner end of the bill. 1

The device of the invention, which may be made of any material, as of thin metal stock, a plastic or the like, is marked as a whole 32, and as shown particularly in Figs. 4-7 comprises a loop structure 33 for slidably embracing the tongue portion 21, a pair of wing extensions 3-4 to be directed toward the rounded end 35 of said tongue portion, and a tab 36 suitably secured, as by soldering, to the bottom of the structure and in such manner if desired as to have its root portion overlap the meeting ends of the strip from which the structure 33 may be formed. Said wing extensions, as shown, are preferably integral with the structure 33. The tab 36 is provided with a slot 31 and beyond the outer end of said slot the tab has suitably secured thereto a stud 38 preferably having a rounded head as shown.

Said stud 38 is of a length such that when inserted through a selected one of the aforesaid line of holes along the tongue portion 2!, for instance as shown through that one of said holes marked 39 in Fig. 1, the rounded head of the stud will obtain a cling grip at said hole. It is not necessary for the stud to project as much as indicated in Fig. 2, where an exaggerated illustration is given to assist in ready understanding of the drawing.

The slot 3! is elongated in the direction of length of the tab 36, to facilitate passage of the point of the bill 3| therethrough and so through the said selected one of the line of holes along the tongue'portion 2! When the band portions 2!} and 21 are coupled as shown in Figs. 1 and 2, with the bill 3| passed through the slot 3'! and the thereby exposed hole of the tongue portion 2! next adjacent to the hole 39, the appearance at the front of the band is as illustrated in Fig. 1, with a pleasing decorative addition to the buckle assembly, and with the bow of the hasp abutted against the wing extensions 34.

Referring to the modification of Figs. 8-10, the parts to which are applied reference characters with primes added correspond, respectively, to the parts to which similar reference characters without primes are applied. The arrangement here is exactly like that of Figs. 1-7, except that the tab 36' is pivotally connected to the structure 33, as by means of a hinge 3!! partially carried by the tab and partially including a hingeplate soldered as at 42 to the structure 33. The swingability of the tab 36' facilitates entry of the stud 38' into the desired one of the aforesaid line of holes along the tongue portion 21'. In Fig. 8, merely a single loop 2'! is shown as present, in lieu of the two loops 21, and the hasp 26' is shown as of a somewhat different shape 4 from that of the hasp 26; but, obviously, these details are aside from the invention.

Referring to the modification of Figs. 11-14, the parts to which are applied reference characters with double primes added correspond, respectively, to the parts to which similar reference characters without primes are applied. The arrangement here, too, is like that of Figs. 1-7, except that the tab 36" is extended in the opposite direction from that of the Wing extensions 34", and consequently there is no need to provide a slot corresponding to the slot 31.

While I have illustrated and described the preferred embodiments of my invention, it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to the precise constructions herein disclosed and the right is reserved to all changes and modifications coming within the scope of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, What I claim as new and desire to secure by United States Letters Patent is:'

1. An article for use in combination with'a band having a main portion provided with a buckle including a pivotally mounted bill and a tongue portion formed with a series of holes one of which is to have the bill extended therethrough when the tongue portion is connected to the buckle, comprising a structure surrounding the tongue portion closely adjacent the buckle and on one side of the hole engaged by the bill, a tab mounted on said structure and extended between the adjacent-faces of the main portion and the tongue portion and across the hole through which the bill extends, and a member on the free end of said tab and engageable with the hole adjacent the one engaged by the bill for holding the structure in a fixed position on the tongue portion, said tab being formed with an elongated slot intermediate of its ends and aligned with the-one holethrough which the bill is to be extended permitting the bill to be extended through that one hole.

2. An article for use in combination with a band having a main portion provided with a buckle including a pivotally mounted bill and a tongue portion formed with a series of holes one of which is to have thebill extended therethrough when the tongue portion is connected to the buckle, comprising a structure surrounding the tongue portion closely adjacent the buckle and on one side of the hole engaged by the bill, a tab mounted on said structure and extended between the adjacent faces. of the main portion and the tongue portion and across the hole through which the bill extends, a member on the free end of said tab and engageable with the hole adjacent the one engaged by the bill for holding the structure in a fixed position on the tongue portion, said tab being formed with an elongated slot intermediate of its ends and aligned with the one hole through which the bill is to be extended permitting the bill to be extended through that one hole, and spaced wing extensions projecting from the portion of said structure which extends along the outer face of the tongue portion to engage between the adjacent faces of the tongue portion and the part of the buckle which extends across the outer face of the tongue portion when the bill is engaged with the one hole.

3. An article for use in combination with a band having a main portion provided with a buckle including a pivotally mounted bill and a tongue portion formed with a series of holes one of which is to have the bill extended therethrough when the tongue portion is connected to the buckle, comprising a structure surrounding the tongue portion closely adjacent the buckle and on one side of the hole engaged by the bill, a tab mounted on said structure and extended between the adjacent faces of the main portion and the tongue portion and across the hole through which the bill extends, and a member on the free end of said tab and engageable with the hole adjacent the one engaged by the bill for holding the structure in a fixed position on the tongue portion, said tab being formed with an elongated slot intermediate of its ends and aligned with the one hole through which the bill is to be extended permitting the bill to be extended through that one hole, said member comprising a stud on the free end of said tab and having a rounded head to be forced through the hole adjacent the one to be engaged by the bill.

4. An article for use in combination with a band having a main portion provided with a buckle including a pivotallymounted bill and a tongue portion formed with a series of holes one of which is to have the bill extended therethrough when the tongue portion is connected to the buckle, comprising a structure surrounding the tongue portion closely adjacent the buckle and on one side of the hole engaged by the bill, a tab mounted on said structure and extended between the adjacent faces of the main portion and the tongue portion and across the hole through which the bill extends, and a member on the free end of said tab and engageable with the hole adjacent the one engaged by the bill for holding the structure in a fixed position on the tongue portion, said tab being formed with an elongated slot intermediate of its ends and aligned with the one hole through which the bill is to be extended permitting the bill to be extended through that one hole, said tab being pivotally mounted on said structure.

5. An article for use in combination with a band having a main portion provided with a buckle including a pivotally mounted bill and a tongue portion formed with a series of holes one of which is to have the bill extended therethrough when the tongue portion is connected to the buckle, comprising a structure surrounding the tongue portion closely adjacent the buckle and on one side of the hole engaged by the bill, a tab mounted on said structure and extended between the adjacent faces of the main portion and the tongue portion and across the hole through which the bill extends, a member on the free end of said tab and engageable with the hole adjacent the one engaged by the bill for holding the structure in a fixed position on the tongue portion, said tab being formed with an elongated slot intermediate of its ends and aligned with the one hole through which the bill is to be extended permitting the bill to be extended through that one hole, and a hinge pivotally mounting said tab on said structure.

ANTHONY LOMBARDO.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 47,574 Saladee May 2, 1865 104,564 Duncan June 21, 1870 139,253 Lee May 2'7, 1873 289,264 Hudson Nov. 27, 1883 553,399 Esterhazy Jan. 21, 1896 642,072 Broderick Jan. 30, 1900 680,370 Bergman et a1 Aug. 13, 1901 1,388,682 Bolig Aug. 23, 1921 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 847,682 France July 3, 1939 

